Machine stand with floating top



y 22,1958 w. A. ANDERSON 2,844,342

MACHINE STAND wm-x FLOATING TOP Filed Dec. 29, 1953 INVENTOR. WALTER A. ANDERSON ATTORNEY 2,844,342 Ice Patented July 22, 1958 2,844,342 I MACHINE STAND WITH FLOATING Tor Walter A.' Anderson, Trumbull, Conn., assignor to Underwood Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 29, 1953, Serial No. 400,999

5 Claims. (Cl. 248-13) This invention relates to stands for supporting business machines and the like having a' traveling paper carriage,

which is transferred from the machine to its supporting stand, said shock being of sufficient force to cause creeping of the stand. This is undesirable as it is inconvenient to the machine operator and retards the speed of machine operation.

The primary object of the present invention, therefore, I

is to provide a business machine stand having means for resiliently supporting a machine thereon to absorb the shock of operation and thereby eliminate the moving or walking of said stand.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a resilient mounting for a business machine that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and assemble and dependable in operation.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts, the important elements of which are herein set forth in appended claims, and a preferred form of embodiment hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form part of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a right hand perspective view of a stand for supporting a business machine having embodied therein the present invention, and

Figure 2 is a fragmental top plan view showing the means provided for absorbing the force of the shock resulting from machine operation, and with the parts shown in the positions they occupy before release of the carriage for tabulation.

Referring now to the drawings, the stand comprises frame members 10 and 11, tied together by means of an upper rear bracket 13, a lower connecting bar 14 and an upper front bracket 16. A cross brace 17 also ties the frame members 10 and 11 and strengthens the structure. Mounted on the frame members 10 and 11 are self-levelling feet 19 which, with the weight of the business machine pressing upon them, oifer a substantial resistance to movement of the stand along a floor. Supported on the lower connecting bar 14 are wheels 20 which, with the lifting of the self-levelling feet 19 from the floor, provide easy mobility of the stand. With a machine having a heavy traveling carriage mounted on the stand, the friction of feet 19 on a floor is insuiiicient to resist the force of the shock incident to arrest of the carriage in a columnar position.

Therefore, the present invention provides a means for reducing the force transmitted from the machine to the stand to such an extent that movement or walking of the a base section,

stand is eliminated. For such shock reduction, a receiver 22 is pivoted on a stud 23 secured in a bracket 25 fastened to the upper front bracket 16. Mounted on said receiver are brackets 26 and 28 carrying rollers 29 and 31 respectively. The rollers 29 and 31 are so mounted that their axes pass through the front pivot stud 23. Secured on the upper rear bracket 13 is horizontal channel 32 in which rollers 29 and 31 are confined to roll as the receiver 22 pivots on stud 23, and which support a machine on receiver 22 in a level plane during operation.

Receiver 22 is provided with cups 34 for receiving the feet of a business machine and holding said machine firmly.

To absorb the force of the said shock, a spring 35 is stretched between a hook 37 of bracket 26 and a spring retainer 38 adjustably fixed in the bottom flange of channel 32. Spring 35 tensions receiver 22 rightwardly on stud 23 until a leg 40 of bracket 28 strikes on a stop pin 41 firmly secured in channel 32 to prevent the movement of roller 31 from channel 32.

With the arresting of the carriage, in any columnar position, the force of the shock initiated thereby is transmitted through the machine and to the receiver 22, causing said receiver to pivot leftwardly on stud 23 and stretch spring 35, to absorb said force, A stock pin 43 secured in channel 32 will arrest leftward movement of leg 40 of bracket 28 during excessive shocks and prevents movement of roller 29 out of channel 32.

The force to be absorbed by spring 35 varies with the construction and consequent weight and distance of travel of the carriage. Means is provided, therefore, for adjusting the tension of spring 35 accordingly. To this end, a series of holes 44 is provided in channel 32 to receive one end of spring retainer 38, and by means of which said retainer may be quickly and easily shifted in either direction to increase or decrease the tension of the spring.

The above description of a preferred embodiment of my invention is not to be taken as limiting for many variations are possible without departure from the inven tion as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A stand for supporting a business or the like machine having reciprocating parts, said stand comprising a unitary machine receiving section pivotally connected near the center of one edge to said base section, guide means on said base section, rotatable members mounted on said receiving section and confined by said guide means against vertical movement, said rotatable members being so mounted that the center lines of their axes pass through the axis of said pivotal connection of said receiving section, and yieldable means connected between said base section and said receiving section to I urge said receiving section to a predetermined position whereby said connection may yield in one direction to absorb shocks created by a machine supported thereon.

2. A stand for supporting a business or the like machine having'reciprocating parts, said stand comprising a base, a unitary machine receiving section, means on said base to pivot said receiving section thereof at a point near the center of one side of said receiving section, means on said base to guide the other side of said receiving section for movement in a substantially horizontal plane, rollers on said'receiving section and confined within said guide means, said rollers rotatable on axes whose center lines pass through the pivotal axis of said receiving section, and an adjustable yielding member connected between said base and said receiving section to urge said section to a normal position, and stop members on said base and said section to limit movement of said section whereby said receiving section may yield in one direction to absorb shocks created by the reciprocating parts of a machine received thereon.

3. A stand for supporting a business or the like machine having reciprocating parts, said stand comprising a base, a ,unitary' machine receiving section pivotally connected near the center of one edge to said base, a hori'z'ont'a-l channeltnember mounted on said base adjaeent theoppoflsite edge of said receiving section, rollers onsaidreceiv ing section positioned within said channel-'rnemben said rollers rotatable on axes Whose center lines-passth'roi-igh the pivotal axis of said receiving section, adjustable yieldtion of said base and said receiving section, a spring connected-between said base'and said receiving section to able means urging said receiving section in one-direction and stops on said base for limiting movement ofsaid receiving section in said channel member.

4. A shock absorbing supporting standfor-a business or the like machine having reciprocating parts, said stand comprising a base, a unitary machine receiving section,

pivotal means connecting said base and said receiving section near the front edges thereof, a channel and a pair of spaced rollers on said base and receiving'section', respectively, to support the rear edge of said receiving section for substantially horizontal movement about said pivotal means, said rollers being rotatable on axes whose center lines pass through theaXis of said pivotalconnecbias said receiving section to a normal position.

5. A shock absorbing stand for supporting a business or the like machine having reciprocating parts, said stand comprising a base, a unitary machine receiving section, pivotal means on said base to .support the front edge of said receiving section, a channel member and a pair of spacedrdller'stheiein to support the rear of said section for horizontal movement" about said pivotal means, said rollers rotatable on axes- Whose center lines pass through said pivotal means on said base and adjustable resilient means connected betWeensa-id base and said-section to dampen movement of "said section relative to said base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

